Axle clamp



jan, 20, 1925.

J. S. LANG AXLE CLAMP Filed Aug.l 4, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented dan. tl, lgi.

corrieri..v

AXLE CLAMP.

Application filed August 4, 1921.

To @ZZ whom tmay concern.'

Be it known that JAMES S. LANG, of lVatertown, in the county ot Middlesex and State of l/assachusetts, a citizen or" the t United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Axle Clamps, oi which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ot this specification in explaining its nature.

The present invention relates to an improvement in axle clamps of a type especially designed for ixing to the axle of a vehicle the attachable part or end of a shock absorber, snubber, spring controller or device ot' a similar character.

rllhe essential object of the invention is to enable the clamp to be securely lixed to they axle without bending or distortion of its attaching member. Hitherto in clamps of a similar character the tightening of the clamp onto the axle for securely fixing it has very often resulted in bending the bolt by which the attachment is made.

A further object of the invention is to provide whereby strain upon the clamp after its attachment to the axle may be more evenly distributed between its respective. 30 jaws than has hitherto been attained.

The invention can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings, in whioh- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the clamp attached to an axle, the axle being shown in cross section.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the clamp.

Fig. 3 'is a plan of the clamp.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the inner end of one of the clamp members, and

Fig. 5 a like elevation of the other member.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a slightly modied structure.

1 represents the axle clamp, 2 the axle.

rllhe axle clamp comprises opposing spaced jaw-carrying members S and 4, respectively. Of these members the member 3 consists of an elongated body 5 preferably tubular in form. Extending through this body is a bolt 6, '7 representing the head of the bolt. Between the outer end ot the body 5 and the head of the bolt, arranged upon the shank of the bolt, is an eye-piece Serial No. 489,913.

o. Projecting from the side ot the body 11 opposite its jaw 12 is an arm 13.

This

arm extends in a general direction subst-an tially parallel with the shank of the bolt to overlap the space between the two inembers and bear against the side of the body to the other member opposite its jaw 9 and be slidable thereon as the clamp members are moved toward or away from one another during the fixing or unixing of the clamp in relation to the axle.

The contact between the arm and said body is preferably obtained by providing the arm with an end bearing 14 presenting a rounding surface or edge 15 which conforms to the shape of the body and by which the bearing is maintained against lateral displacement.

That portion of the shank of the bolt projecting beyond the body of the clamp member i is provided with a tightening nut 16 and lock washer 17 by which means the two clamp members are brought together and the jaws thereof tightened onto the Hange of theI axle or released therefrom. During the tightening of the nut and fixing of the jaws, were it not for the arm 13, strain brought to bear upon the shank orf the bolt and clamp member e would tend to bend or distort the shank and displace the clamp member 4e, thereby weakening and disarranging the clamp. The arm 18 by its bearing against the body of the clamp member 3 prevents such distortion and disarrangement of parts.

With a clamp having a clamp member with an elongated body as above described I prefer that the cla-mp be provided with additional bearing against the axle, which has the eiiect of distributing and equalizing strain brought to bear upon the clamp after its attachment to the axle. When the clamp is in place on the axle, pull applied to the eye-piece- 8 on the outer end ot the clamp member will exert influence to turn the clamp on the axle, the aw 9 fulcruming on the flangejlOyiiith a resultinglei'ect'tending to tip" and thereby 'displacethe' jaw 12 `in a direction away from the flange l0 of the axle. This effect 4is inoreasedto a certain extent by the arm 13, but it is desirable to eliminate it in so far as possible. VThis `is accomplished by changing thefulcrum and providing a fulcrum about midway' between the two jaws.- Ifo this endytheclamp member isi.provided'fwithfafbutt '18' located above the"j aw.9." ,Arranged to turn inithis butt is a A,set i'sc i'few 19; heldY in adjust'e'di positi'ionby' a locking nut v20;` A'v lhus arranged the inner en dhoff lthe set screw may'7 ywhen hasbeen fixed vto *thew'aXlQ be brought vto bear against the' body` 2l4 of ,the

at a `point'fabove and about midway between the aws 9 and 12. The body vof the axle then becomes the fulcrum Aon which the clampgtends toturn when pull is applied to ythe eye-piece 8 and resulting strains will be brought to bearuponthe jaws of the clamp to force them againstth'efaile flange along ,lines substantially l rightA angles to the longitudinal centre of the 'clamp 'and' which Vstrains accgrdingly 4havey 'little or no influence to elfect'a separation ,of the jaws;

l 'f In Figg is shown an axle clamp in which ,tlie A'respective jaw-carrying members 22,I 23,

relatively short bodies. through whichcsthebolt.jextends In such Ya cony structioi-i'the tendency is to bend the bolt at a pointlabo'ut midway fthe jaws t on tightening the mit 16 when the /olampjis applied to the axle. By providing` one 'off the members with an arm v2 2 on the `'side thereof opposite .the jaw carried by said*member, which arm ovjerlapsjthe space between the members and bears gagainstrtlhe other niembeib Y.the 'dificulty i"sf.oyerc om e.v In such :case the arm .married br @he iembi 22); .by its ,bearing Y against themember*23,keeps themember 22 from turning andthereby assists in preventing bending of the bolt, At the same time fthe Vupward thrust of the arm y'against the member 23 serves to keep that ymember from turning.` Accordingly by reason of the arm `both members conjointly act to prevent bending'of the bolt when the nut is tightened.

Having thus fully described my invention, s

l claim and desire tojsecure by Letters Patent of therUnited States J l. An axle clamp of the type specified comprising opposing spaced membri/rs, .each member having .a body with a laterally oflset jaw, a bolt with tightening nut thereon Vconnecting the bodies of said members and extending through Ithe 'space between the jaws thereof, and an arm projecting from thel b ody ofone of said members on rthe side thereof opposite its jaw and overlapping thespace between said members and bearing against the body of the other member on theside thereof oppositezits jaw. 2'; An axle lclamp oft-he type speciied comprising opposing spaced members, each member having a body with a laterally 0H- set jaw, the body of one of said members being relatively longer than the body of the other member,v a bolt with tightening nut thereon connecting the bodies of said members and extending through .the space be- ;tween ythe -jaws thereof', and jan "arm "carried 4by said l ii'i'iember hayin'g the shorter body,

.saidI arm projecting fromjthe body ofthe `V`set jaw, a bolt with tightening' nut thereon connect-ing the bodies of the respective inembers and extending through the spacebetween the jaws thereof, a setI screw carried by and 'adjustable on one of said members,

saidscrew being arranged beyond the jaw `of said member and extending in directionfwjhereby the end of the 'screw may lbe brought into an engaging positionabove the space-'between said jaws,.an 'd "an arin projecting from the body of one of said members 4on the side thereof opposite its jaw and overlapping thespace b etwee'njsaid members and bearing against the body of the'. other member on theside thereof opposite its jaw.

'An' axle clamp of thewtype specified Ycomprising opposing spaced 1nemb ersl each member vhaving a bodywitjh a laterally olf-I j set'jaw 7 the 'body of one of said members being 'longer Vthan the body of the other member with means forattachment at the outer end thereof, a bo'lt with tighteningV nut thereon connecting the vbodies of` said members and extending through the vspace between'the jaws thereof,'a setscrewe'arried by and adjustable von thefmember having the-longer body, said Vscrew being-arranged beyond the jaw of said member aifdfextending in a direction vwhereby thefend ofthe screw may be'brought into an'enga'ging position above and substantially midway the space between said jaws when thevj'aws are occupying an engaging position, andan armV on the member having k.the shorter body, said arm projecting from the shorter body 'on the side thereof opposite its jaw and overlapping the space between said'members and bearing against the longer bodyof the other member on'theside thereof opposite itsjaw. Y

Y "JMES LANGLy 

